Garment treating form



Aug. 21, 1945. RTMITTELSTADT 2,383,011

I GARMENT TREATING FORM Filed Sept. 24, 1941 is not possible to form the sides of the object with great accuracy and straightness as there are hundreds of contours of forms prescribed by users and the cost of stamping and forming dies for each contour would be entirely prohibitive. Accordingly,'the sides of the form are curved by using separate sectional dies which may be adapted to a large variety of shapes by using them in a large variety of combinations. The result of using these dies is to produce form sides having general surface irregularities and, furthermore, after th welding has been completed. the heat of the torch or are has further so distorted the form sides that the form must be Placed in a press and carefully straightened by hand, Accordingly, the sides of the form must be supported internally by a. rib or equivalent. 'In the absence of a central rib the straightening operation would collapse the sides of the form irretrievably.

In these prior forms the central rib was comprised of solid bar usually of rectangular cross section, and this became a permanent part of the structure. Accordingly, when such form was used in connection with the'Dunn process the mass of metal at the center line, being compara tively much thicker than the form sides and hence less penetralble by heat, would heat up somirch slower than the remainder of the formthat there was excessive condensation along that area of the form represented by contact with'the rib, resulting in the objectionable bleaching heretofore referred to. An ideal form would be one in which the rib is entirely absent.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of'this invention to construct a form of the type described and for the use intended provided with a rib serving every necessary function during fabrication and then removable before the form is used for its intended'purpose.

Another object is to provide such a removable rib which maybe extracted from the form without damaging the form or modifying thepredetermined garment receiving surface.

A still further aim is to employ a flexible removable rib that will adapt itself substantially to such a position with respect to the form as to offer support along the minor axis as it changes its location along the median line of the form.

Another object is to employ for a rib of the type described, flexible metal rope or cable which will not only satisfy the foregoing objective but will follow the easiest exit as it is removed from the form.

Another object is to employ a steel cable as just referred to which has been treated by galvanizing or other appropriate corrosion inhibiting method. Consequently, if it is desired for some purposes not to remove the rib, the corrosive effect of moisture entering the form will be substantially diminished, if not entirely prohibited.

Further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a recognized type of boarding form with a portion broken away to reveal the improved rib construction:

Figure 2 is a cross section on the lin 22 of Figure 1;

' Figure 3 is a cross section on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the first step of removingthe rib from: the form;

Figure 5 shows the final step of removing the rib;

Figure 6 is a cross section on the line 66 of Figure 2, and

Figure 7 shows a modified form construction.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, I I represents one-half or side of the form I0 and I2 the other half or side, which are first out from a fiat sheet of metal to the desired contour, then by means of sectional dies formed in a press to a substantially half-oval configuration, and joined by welding or other equivalent means at the front crease-producing edge I3 and the rear creaseproducing edge I4, t yield a unitary garment rec'eiving body structure. Frequently, but not necessarily, a seam-seating groove I5 is rolled along the rear. edge extending from the tip of the toe to the lowermost extremity of the form, which serves to align the seam, if any, of the stocking Withrespect to the crease-producing edges. If desired, length markers I6 may be impressed in the sides I I. and I2 before the same are assembled for the purpose of indicating to the operator the length to which it is desired to draw the stocking down on the form. At its lower extremity the form is provided with a base member M, in this instance shown as a casting or drop forging of substantially triangular shape, provided with form mounting ears 22 adapted to enter the open lower end of the form to which it is joined by welding or otherwise along the junction 23 Holes 24 are provided in member 2| to receive bolts for mounting said form with respect to the treating apparatus proper.

. Before the form sides I I and H are temporarily clamped together preliminary to the welding operation, there is laid between'them a rib 3| extending from a point near the heel portion through the open end 32 (Figure 3) of the form body and projecting beyond the lower end there! of as indicated generally at 33.

Preferably the rib 3| is comprised of ordinary stranded wire cable which has been galvanized,

I cadmium plated or other-wise prepared to resist corrosion. Moreover, it is preferred to employ cable provided with a non-metallic central core, e. g., hemp, to reduce the mass of rib metal to be heated' while preserving'the required outer diameter of the rib.

Due to the concave nature of the form sides II and I2, the flexible cable 3I will tend to distort from its normal substantially straight direction and locate itself along the median axis of the form which represents the position of the minor axis, or the axis of greatest internal width, of the cross section at all points along the form. It will be apprehended that section 22 (Figure 2) is a typical cross section of the form at any point from a region near the heel and extending to the lowermost end of the form.

Prior to being laid between the form sides, the end 34 of the rib 3| is sweated with solder, brazed or welded to unite the cut end of the cable and to present a non-yielding extremity thereof for a purpose to be presently described.

The form as now prepared and shown complete in Figure 1 may be used for any function wherein the precaution to be observed in final boarding under the Dunn or the like process does not exist. However, in the event the form is to be utilized for that process or one similar, the rib may be readily removed as shown in Figures 4 and 5, as follows:

Referring now to Figure 4, the solid end 34 of the rib 3| is grasped with a pair of pliers 35'- and the rib partially moved outward from its position within the form, say to the position shown in Figure 5. As soon as a suflicient length of the rib has been withdrawn to permit grasping the same beyond the bottom of the form base 2 l, the end of the rib may then be placed between the jaws of a vise ,36, the form grasped with the hands and porarily fastened to the sides of the form to insure that the rib 3| will not be accidentally dislodged. a

It is to be understood that although it is preferred to use a rib composed of flexible material, as for example, twisted wire cable, this invention is not necessarily limited thereto inasmuch as a rigid rib as shown in Figure 7 may be employed, in which case perhaps more friction wouldbe presented against its withdrawal. The peculiar advantage of the flexible cable rib is that it touches the inner surface of the sides of the form in spaced apart points only as shown at 43 in Figure 6, thereby reducing the contacts between the sides and rib to a point where under some conditions of treatment it may not be necessary to remove the rib, whereas with the older solid rectangular or even cylindrical rib the extended contact would result in bleaching. Furthermore,

because of the point contact between the inner surface of the form sides and the cable, removal of this type of rib is considerably facilitated, as the friction is substantially reduced over what would be the case if a common type of rectangular rib is employed.

It is not essential to continue the rib beyond a point in the neighborhood of the heel and into the toe, as the foot portion of the form is of relatively smaller cross section than the leg portion and is shorter in length. It may be formed withone or two dies rather than several thereof as previously set out. zone of the form is less of a problem. However, it is perfectly within the scope of this invention to continue the rib into the toe portion of the form.

It will be appreciated also that to facilitate assembly of the form sides with the rib, the inner surface of the sides H and I2 may be provided with L-shaped lugs, one leg welded to the said surface and the upstanding legs forming guides between which the cable 3| may be laid, so that it may not accidentally become shifted during assembly. This would be especially true if it were desired to continue a cable rib into the foot portion. of the form, as the natural resiliency of the cable where it is turned at the corner where the foot forms an angle with-the leg would tend to If preferred, the

displace that portion of the ribassociated with the foot to the upper side of the ,median line.

A feature of great advantage is that a rib of this nature may be used solely as a convenience in manufacturing inasmuch as after the form has been completely straightened, ready for the trade, the rib may be removed and reused in fabricating other forms, resulting in considerable economy of manufacture in the salvage of the rib material.

1. A garment form including in combinationa hollow structure to receive the garment thereover and an inner rib comprising flexible stranded metallic cable, said rib adapted to con- 1 trol the inner surfaces of the said structure over substantially. the entire length of said rib.

For these reasons straightening of that rib comprises stranded '2. A garment form including in combination a hollow structure to receive the garment thereover and an inner rib comprising flexible stranded metallic cable witha non-metallic core, said rib adapted to contact the inner surfaces of the said structure over substantially the entire length of said rib. a

3. A garment form including in combination a hollow, structure to receive the garment thereover and an inner flexible rib extending substantially the entire length of the structure and protruding freely beyond the end thereof, said protruding portion being provided with means engageable by an implement whereby said rib may be separated from the structure. 1 4. A device as in claim 3 in which said metallic cable.

ROY MI'I'IEILSTADT.

flexible 

